Srung
by Padme Nijiri
Summary: Srung means "Help" in Na'vi. "If I had done my job....none of this would have happened. Grace would not be dying. Your father would not be dead.” Missing scene that shows how Jake transported Grace's human body to the Tree of Souls.


This is another missing scene fic. It takes place between Jake's plea to the Omitcaya for help and the scene where they try to heal Grace.

You could say that this is a sequel to my other fic, "Tul" (Note: It was called Tul v, and then I realized the "v" meant "verb"…). Enjoy.

Oh yeah, I don't own anything here. Mr. Cameron owns it all.

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"Please, I need your help. My friend is dying. Grace is dying."

The words echoed in Neytiri's ears. Grace's Na'vi body showed no sign of the injury her human body had sustained. Grace, the scientist who tried to understand the People despite the insanity she called science, was dying. Grace, who had become her friend and almost-like family, was dying.

Neytiri felt Jake's hand on her arm, leading her towards his _toruk_. _Jake was _Toruk Makto_ now._ How lucky he must have been to form _tsahaylu _with the Last Shadow. The Na'vi princess remembered when they and their _ikrans_ had been chased by a _toruk_, perhaps the very same one, not too long ago. She climbed on the beast behind Jake, observed Tsu'tey mount his _ikran_ out of the corner of her eye. As Jake directed his mount to fly, Neytiri felt within her and called Tze'ze to follow Jake's _toruk. _The gathered people were soon out of site behind the ridge.

The flight was a short one, but Jake used it to explain and apologize. "Neytiri, I wanted to tell you before. But I couldn't. I was so absorbed in becoming one of the Omiticaya, that I put off the duty I had been given." The landscape sped by below them, the sun setting to their right casting the greenery in an orange light.

"It's alright, Jake. It is over." Neytiri stroked his shoulder. She could feel Jake's anguish and sorrow in the corner of her mind. His desperate attempt to form _tsahaylu_ with Last Shadow showed not only his dedication to the Omiticaya, but also his willingness to give his life. Neytiri remembered the unbearable pain his confessions had wrought before the fall of Hometree. Her shriek for all the clan to hear: _"You will never be one of the People!"_ But her Jake was one of the People, perhaps even braver than Tsu'tey. His heart was certainly stronger.

He sighed, the _toruk_ wavered in his flight before Jake steeled his emotions. "No, it's not right. If I had done my job—convinced you to leave or even talked to you about why I was actually there, none of this would have happened. Grace would not be dying. Your father would not be dead."

Neytiri felt her heart break at Jake's words, but she let him continue. "When I woke up in my human body last time, we were put in confinement—prison. But Trudy, another Skyperson, broke us out. She's a pilot—she flies a metal _ikran_ called a helicopter—and she flew us here with a link so I could dreamwalk. But before we escaped, Grace was shot."

Neytiri held her mate tighter, wishing to console him. "Jake, there is a reason for everything. Eywa will show you." She rubbed her forehead against his long neck, only looking up when she felt the _toruk_ dip down. There was a small clearing below them, the helicopter gleamed in the fading sunlight as well as a longer metal box. She recognized the dreamwalker Norm waving to them.

Before his beast had completely stilled from flight, Jake had jumped down and ran to the door.

"How is she, Norm?" He asked. He was completely focused on the man in front of him. He was unaware of Neytiri's curious glances at the metal box in front of her or the twilight coming upon them. _So this is where he goes when he is not with me, _she thought. Jake looked at her. "Stay here, I don't think you can breathe—let alone fit—inside the unit." Neytiri nodded as she followed him towards a red painted square outlining grooves in the metal box. Neytiri searched for a word Jake taught her—a door, maybe?

Fascinated, she watched Norm and Jake sit down and become completely still; their bodies sagged as consciousness left them. Tsu'tey walked over to her and stood silently for a moment. She was glad. All he had done while the clan travelled to the Tree of Souls was question her and point out Jake's traitorous deeds. Each comment was a barb into her already broken heart.

In truth, she should have mated with Tsu'tey long ago but had claimed she was not ready. And so she had avoided mating with Tsu'tey as long as possible by Omiticaya tradition—until one of her parents died. Neytiri felt her lips twitch in amusement, now that she was already mated, Tsu'tey was left bereft. In her heart, she knew Eywa smiled on her and Jake. Tsu'tey was more of a brother than a life's mate. Now that Jake had formed _tsahaylu_ to become _Toruk Makto_, Tsu'tey had quieted, left in awe of the risk Jake had taken. Clearly, Jakesully was every bit a warrior, _tsamsiyu_, that Tsu'tey was and deserving of Neytiri's heart.

Neytiri peered into the windows of the metal box. She was only somewhat surprised to find it hollow on the inside. Many boxes lay in disarray on the floor. Fascinated, she watched a round thing—a cylinder—open in front of her. A Sky Person pushed a metal net off of his body and sat-up.

The Na'vi took in his pale skin and unkempt hair. He looked familiar to her. With a start, she realized that it was Jake, her Jake. Neytiri watched as he shifted himself into a chair, grabbing his legs and moving them with his hands before he spun his chair around and wheeled towards the opposite end. _"I cannot use my legs to walk or run in my human body. I used a chair with wheels to move around. I was no longer a warrior for the Jarhead clan, could not be a Marine anymore…_" He had told her. Crippling injuries like his were rare among the Na'vi; his lack of mobility would have been cause for great shame. Maybe even a sign that Eywa had severed ties with him so he could no longer appreciate Her gifts from the forest. But it was his lack of movement that made him appreciate Eywa so much more. Despite the bulkiness of the chair, Jake moved so fast in it that she wasn't sure if he had seen her in the window.

Two, no three, other Sky People, walked by her viewing point; the third woman was held between the two able-bodied Sky People. She recognized Norm and Grace, the features she knew had translated between their Na'vi bodies and Sky People bodies well, making them familiar to her. A memory of Grace's human body at the school came into her mind. The other woman, she did not know. _That must be Trudy_, she thought. Jake wheeled by after them, his lips moving though she could not hear what they said.

A few moments later, the portal—door, Jake called it—to the unit opened and all four Sky People appeared with masks on; Neytiri moved to help. Twilight had fallen and the full dark was fast approaching. Soon the forest would be alight with the natural bioluminescence of all the plants and creatures, but it was too soon yet. At that point, the forest was probably as dark as it ever had been.

Jake refused to meet Neytiri's eyes as he spoke, looking everywhere but her, surprisingly addressing Tsu-tey instead. "Tsu-tey, my brother, please help carry Grace to my _toruk_. He will not attack you, do not worry." He looked past Neytiri towards his beast whose brilliant colors were muted by darkness. "Norm will help me take her human body to the Tree of Souls. I gave her a mild sedative so she won't be in discomfort while we fly there."

Neytiri had seen disgust pass across Tsu'tey's proud features when Jake appeared in the opening of the metal box. Clearly the bravest warrior of the Omiticaya did not envy Jake now. When Jake addressed him instead of Neytiri, his golden orbs had briefly glanced her way, an eyebrow marking lifted in question. When his eyes shifted to the injured Sky Person, however, his expression softened. Grace was a teacher, not a warrior; she should have never been wounded. Even Tsu'tey understood that.

Grace moaned as she was transferred from Norm and Trudy's arms to Tsu'tey's larger embrace. Neytiri saw the sheen of sweat on her face through the mask and smelled the metallic scent of her blood before she saw the red stain spread over Grace's abdomen. It was not very different from Na'vi blood. _Please, Eywa, let her be strong enough_.

"Neytiri," Jake called, and suddenly she realized his voice did not change when he switched bodies. "Neytiri, please help Tsu'tey lift Grace to Norm on _toruk_." He finally looked at her and swallowed, too late to keep a tear from slipping from his eye. No one was around to see it, Trudy having moved away to help Norm reconnect with his Avatar.

Neytiri put a hand on his smaller shoulder. "We will do what we can to save her, Jake."

He ducked his head, still looking ashamed. Suddenly he said, "This is my true form. My broken form. Now you know why I am not a warrior anymore. I slowed them down when we escaped. I am the reason Grace was shot." He spun his chair out of his grasp and pumped his arms to move the chair.

Neytiri stopped him. "Jake, only Eywa knows what ifs and maybes; you do not. I see you, Jake. I see my Jake, part of the Omiticaya who risked everything to gain our trust again. Do not be sorry for yourself. You still walk with the Omiticaya as a warrior once more." He finally smiled at her. Neytiri sucked in her breath—it was the same smile he gave her in his Na'vi body. How was it that the same person was in two bodies?

"Thank you," he murmered, pausing a moment. The tear trail glistened in the light through his face mask. "I must go back and link with my avatar. That metal tube you saw is what enables me to Dreamwalk and be with you." Jake touched her hand on his shoulder briefly before wheeling away. He could not wait to walk and run again.

Neytiri moved down the cylinder and watched her mate transfer himself to the tube. She watched him grab one leg and move it to the chamber then the other. He smiled and waved at her through the window. Neytiri lifted her hand in greeting, her four fingers reflecting back at her, but still allowing her to see him. Her hand's reflection took in his five fingered wave. They were so different, and yet, so alike. Awestruck, she watched him pull the lid closed on his body. The woman, Trudy, walked by and pressed her hand against the lights on the wall; light began to swirl around the tube.

Turning away from the portal, Neytiri saw Jake's Na'vi body already moving towards his _toruk._ Tsu'tey held Grace's human form while Norm stood by awkwardly waiting until Jake had mounted to climb into the make-shift straps that would secure his legs and allow his arms to hold Grace. Neytiri ran to the beast, helping Tsu'tey gently lift Grace up to Norm.

"Fly safely with Eywa. I will follow soon." Jake nodded at her, both arms on the antenna-like feelers of his _toruk_. Behind him, Norm held his precious cargo. With a cry and a flap of wings, the _toruk_ took off.

Looking down at her hands, Neytiri saw the blood that leaked through Grace's bandages and onto her palms. It was a shade darker than her own. _Too much blood has been spilt for nothing_. Wiping her hands on her thighs, Neytiri rushed to where Tze'ze waited for her.

****

Special thanks to True Colours for nitpicking this and pointing out where I needed more detail or explanation. It's the first time I have worked with a beta-reader and she made it an enjoyable experience.

I find it hard to believe that Neytiri never saw Jake's human body or how he connected to his Avatar. Neytiri probably knew the basics of the Dreamwalking due to Dr. Augustine's school. Remember the pictures on the glass cabinet at the mobile link site?

After seeing Avatar again, I realized that this was the best time for Jake and Neytiri to "meet." I am considering doing another missing scene while Jake and Neytiri travel to the other clans, but I do not know if I will…

Please note that this is a one shot. I do not think I have it in me to do a sequel to the movie. Long term fics and I do not agree due to a very busy life. It sucks, I have the fics planned in my head and then real life gets in the way. And the Fic dies…One of these days.


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